The Meaning of 2 Kings 9:1 Explained

2 Kings 9:1

KJV: And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

YLT: And Elisha the prophet hath called to one of the sons of the prophets, and saith to him, 'Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead,

Darby: And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead.

ASV: And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elisha  the prophet  called  one  of the children  of the prophets,  and said  unto him, Gird up  thy loins,  and take  this box  of oil  in thine hand,  and go  to Ramothgilead: 

What does 2 Kings 9:1 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 9:1-13 - The Avenger Of Blood Anointed
Youth is always being called upon to gird up its loins, and dare to fulfill its commissions without fear of man. We are not to tarry to hear what men say of us. The King's business requires haste. Do your work and flee, before the world can scare you by its threats or cajole you by its blandishments. You have one Master, one errand: do it, and get back into His presence!
God has His appointed instruments to carry out His plans, 1 Kings 19:17. The King will avenge His own elect, though He bear long with their oppressors. Sooner or later His sentence will be executed. His servants are often accounted mad, but whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God! 2 Corinthians 5:13. Naturally his fellow-officers were astonished that Jehu should have dealings with one whose garb and bearing indicated his religious character. It is not usual for God's servants to penetrate a camp with such a message; and yet how striking would be the effect if only we could announce to the strong, swift-acting, vehement-hearted leaders of the age, that a higher vocation awaited them than they had ever conceived, and that God's anointing was within their reach. "I have anointed thee to be a king." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 9

1  Elisha sends a young prophet with instructions to anoint Jehu at Ramoth Gilead
4  The prophet having done his message, flees
11  Jehu, being made king by the soldiers, kills Joram in the field of Naboth
27  Ahaziah is slain at Gur, and buried at Jerusalem
30  Proud Jezebel is thrown down out of a window, and eaten by dogs

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 9:1 mean?

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him Get ready yourself and take flask of oil this in your hand and go to Ramoth Gilead Gilead
וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ הַנָּבִ֔יא קָרָ֕א לְאַחַ֖ד מִבְּנֵ֣י הַנְּבִיאִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ חֲגֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֗יךָ וְ֠קַח פַּ֣ךְ הַשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְלֵ֖ךְ רָמֹ֥ת גִּלְעָֽד

וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙  And  Elisha 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.
הַנָּבִ֔יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
קָרָ֕א  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לְאַחַ֖ד  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מִבְּנֵ֣י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַנְּבִיאִ֑ים  of  the  prophets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֜וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
חֲגֹ֣ר  Get  ready 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: חָגַר  
Sense: to gird, gird on, gird oneself, put on a belt.
מָתְנֶ֗יךָ  yourself 
Parse: Noun, mdc, second person masculine singular
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
וְ֠קַח  and  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
פַּ֣ךְ  flask 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פַּךְ  
Sense: vial, flask.
הַשֶּׁ֤מֶן  of  oil 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ  in  your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְלֵ֖ךְ  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
רָמֹ֥ת  to  Ramoth  Gilead 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמֹות גִּלְעָד  
Sense: an Israelite who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra.
גִּלְעָֽד  Gilead 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.